Train order ring



Dec. 29, 1931. c c RAUSCH 1,838,283

TRAIN ORDER RING Original Filed Feb. 13, 1930 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 STATES UHTE CLARENCE CLIFFORD RAUSCH, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA TRAIN ORDER RING Original application filed February 13, 1930, Serial No. 428,218, now Patent No. 1,795,679, dated March 10,

1931. Divided and this application filed January 7, 1931. Serial No. 507,242.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 428,218, filed February 13, 1930, which is now Patent No. 1,795,679, dated March 10, 1931.

The common practice involved in delivering an order from a railroad or signal station to the engineer or fireman of a passing train, is for the engineer to slow down sufiiciently to enable an order carrying ring to be caught from the station agent or operators hand by the engineer or fireman as the train passes.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved train order holding ring, adapted to be held at the signal station or railroad station and to receive a catcher on the train. My improved train order holding ring has a. compartment to contain the order or message, and a closure which Is pivoted to the ring, covers the opening leadlng to the aforesaid compartment, and is arranged so that when being caught by the catcher on the train, the closure will be prevented from opening, thus insuring security of the order or message in the compartment.

To enable a clear understanding of the na ture, construction, and operation of the ring to be had, disclosure is hereinafter given ot a holder for the ring and a catcher on the train.

111 the accompanying' drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation, parts being broken away, showing the deliverer 1n operation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus on the train and at the station, illustrating how the ring is caught when the catcher is extended;

3 is a front view of the catcher, in folded position;

Fig. 4 is a detail View of the order holding ring; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the ring holder, parts being in section.

I have illustrated my present invention in connection with an improved catcher, which is set forth and claimed in my Patent No. 1,795,679.

In Fig. 1, a part of a locomotive is shown at 1 and a part of a railroad station, signal tower, or other suitable structure, appears at 2.

One part of the apparatus is carried by the locomotive 1 and the other part by the manner by screws or bolts passing through 7 holes 5 and to this plate, there is hinged on a vertical pintle 6, an arm 7 which is adapted to swing. The arm 7 is provided with a bandle 8 which may be grasped by the fireman,

engineer or trainman to draw the arm back into folded position, as shown by dotted lines at the upper part of Fig. 2 or to extend said arm into operative position, as shown by full lines at the upper part of Fig. 2. Thepintle 6 is adapted to turn in bearings 9 and it also is slidable vertically in said bearings, there being provided cushion springs 10 surrounding said pintle which enable the arm to move up and down in a cashioned manner so that, regardless of the rocking of the train or because the catcher does not properly line up with the lowermost ring 3, the arm will adjust itself so that it will catch the ring without unnecessary shock or damage resulting in the parts of the apparatus.

The arm JTcarries a catcher 11, made of spring steel, whose feet have a slot and pin connection 12 with the arm so that the catcher may compress and expand, enabling it to enter ring 3, compressing as it does so and then to expand to hold the ring in the constricted or reduced parts 13, as best seen in Fig. 2. This construction prevents the ring from falling ofi of the catcher.

Spring clips 14, 15, carried by the plate 4, hold the arm 7 in its folded and extended positions. The clip 15 is adapted to co-operate with the rod 16 on the arm 7. The clip 14 embraces the arm.

On the station or structure, there is provided an inclined chute 17 which maybe guyed in any suitable manner as at 18. The chute has resilient arms 19 extending beyond its lower end and carries transverse arcshaped clips 20, the ends of the arms being slightly turned inwardly at 21, the clips and arms holding the rings, as shown in Fig. 1.

The ring is provided with a compartment 22, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 for containing the train order. Hinged to the ring at 23 is an inwardly turning closure or door 24 ofiarc-shape which, due to its form, cannot accidentally. open when the catcher 11 strikes the ring, because the tendency of the catcher is to wedge into the ring and such action keeps the door or closure closed. The closure is not only are shaped in length but also in cross sectional shape so'that it ,formsa-part ofthe ring and conforms to the shape thereof.

The operator at the signal station merely deposits the rings. containing :the :orders in the chute 17 for the train for which they are intended.

Whenathe station :is vapproached, the engianeer cor zfireinan :grasps the handle 8 .and

swings arm 7 outwardly at right angles :to

:ithe base-4,: as: shown in full .lines inwFig. 2,

rwhe reupionxthe catcher 11- :is iniline with the l lowermost or :outei'niost ring 1 3 which is :then

:caught: and passes-to the constricted part 13.

soon: as :the ring. issncanght, :the :nextring iaillsziiitaplaceso that the conductor or brake- ;man unay: ialso swing a :duplicate :apparatus .,-.located;at some convenient point on the train and catch the ringsindependently-ofthe engi- ;,-neeror :fireman. When the order ring has Iiheenicaughhathecarm 7 .is retracted to the Adotted.line-gposition :in the mpper .part of uFigziQ. zThedottedrline showing-mt the lower fpfllit .of ;Fig.- 2, illustrates .the advance of the catcherzas the train "proceeds after the. ring .has been-naught.

Whatl claim is: i A train orderholdingring havingia com- ;partrnenh; and an arceshaped; closure for said compartment, said closure being pivoted .to

-the'srin'g; and adapted to open :inwardlygto- "ward :the center 1 ofithe :ring.

In testimony whereof I aiiix myisi'gnature.

ELABENGE :CLIEFORD RAUSGH. 

